NEW YORK — Going from the leisurely pace of August straight into the throes of New York Fashion Week can feel a little like whiplash. And then when it all starts, there are so many things happening, often all at the same time, on different sides of the city it is impossible to do everything.
On Thursday night, mayor Eric Adams officially kicked things off with a CFDA cocktail at Gracie Mansion, declaring that “Fashion is New York, and New York is fashion.” Both he and CFDA chairman Thom Browne spoke of the pressure required to create diamonds — and other beautiful things, like fashion collections.
There is truth in the idea that sometimes incredible bursts of creativity can come in the final few days before a big show, which acts as a forcing mechanism to focus the mind and get shit done. But we are not the same after Covid-19. Some of us are tired of all the pressure and expectations that come from working in such a fast-paced industry.
That’s why BoF hosted a (truly) intimate dinner on Wednesday evening with Google — before New York Fashion Week officially started — to bring together our American fashion family in a more relaxed atmosphere to ease into things a little.
Tory Burch, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Wes Gordon, Sergio Hudson, Carly Mark from Puppets and Puppets and many more designers turned out for our family-style dinner. Being in that room, with all of those creative and talented people, served as a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do. And the fact that they all took time to attend is a sign that people are changing their priorities.
I made a commitment to myself during the pandemic to plan my work travel with more intention and purpose, and not the fear of missing out, or feeling like I have to be everything, everywhere, all at once. That’s why this fashion month, I plan to take care of my physical and mental health so I can do my best work. No pressure required.
Read my full newsletter and top BoF picks of the week at the #linkinbio.
